FBI to investigate cops

Newly appointed border town police chief asks FBI to investigate cops, officials

Tom Boggioni

Comparing the police department he inherited to the New York mafia, a California police chief has called in the FBI to investigate corruption by both police officers and city officials, reports News 7 San Diego.

In a tearful press conference, a frustrated Calexico Police Chief Mike Bostic accused his predecessor, some members of his own department, and city officials of illegally trying to undermine a criminal investigation.

“The council-members in conjunction with the police officers association and members of that association have used city funds and city resources to run what I would call an extortion racket,” Bostic said.

“I’ve literally had it,” Bostic said as he began to tear up as he explained that he felt compelled to bring in the FBI to handle the investigation two weeks into his tenure.

“I am so grateful that the FBI is coming. And the reason they are coming is to support me, and the really good officers of this department who have been put under this cloud by a few, ” he said. “So this was literally the most disappointing day in all my years of policing, because I’m the chief. This is my city. This is my community, these are my officers, so how can you be anything but depressed.”

Bostic, a 34-year law enforcement veteran, was hired last month to replace former Police Chief Pompeyo Tabarez who was fired Oct. 13 “in the interests of the citizens.”

According to Bostic, some elected officials and POA members were using thousands of dollars in surveillance equipment recently purchased with department funds to follow other members of the city government.

“Exactly like the Mafioso in New York. That’s exactly how they are operating,” the chief said.

After four days on the job, the new police chief discovered his investigations unit, narcotics unit, and internal affairs division were not working on any active cases.

Bostic said he was unable to find any reports on an alleged kidnapping and assault of a juvenile that took place in October, and blamed it on his predecessor, saying, “The former chief and his investigative unit were so busy trying to save his career and his job rather than focus on that investigation, they completely botched it.”

Bostic also criticized detectives in his department for carrying professional tools often used to break into cars, saying, “There’s a thing called search warrants in the state of California. These were clearly tools for violating people’s rights and we’re trying to get to the bottom of that.”

According to the new chief, several members of the department were placed on paid leave, with others being demoted or reassigned.